Why would I be qualified to write this blog?  I grew up in the very pleasant midwestern town of Brecksville, Ohio.  My neighbors could have been the Norman Rockwell family.  It certainly was a privileged life.  In America, the greatest privilege one can have regardless of race is the fact that we were born in this great country.  In addition to that, the fact that I was raised by a two-parent, intact, loving family was crucial to my success.  A well-rounded education was also vital.  I fully understand that some start from a different place than others.  ..read more

What was it about the early decades of Dunbar High School in D.C. that turned out the “first black who” pioneered in several fields who came from this school? Let’s look at Dunbar’s history. It was first known as the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth and opened its doors in 1870 in the basement of the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church with four students. As the school continued to grow, it operated from 1891-1916 as M Street High School. By 1916, the school became known as Dunbar High School and had a self-selection system. These students were serious about meeting the high academic ..read more

Nancy Randolph has been an educator at Victory Christian Academy (VCA) in the heart of the inner city of Orlando, Florida, for more than 15 years. She is a civic leader who helps children become active citizens while standing on their faith in God. Nancy teaches American and World History, Bible, Grammar, Speech, and Drama to her 7th to 12th-grade students. Through Nancy’s research and years of teaching, she has perfected how to encourage students to think critically when studying history by helping them find the truth through personal research. A group discussion follows this research. This ..read more

One of the criticisms made about black history is that it is not integrated into the American history books. Sadly, our students, black and white, have little knowledge about the exceptional accomplishments of blacks throughout American history. Yocum African American History Association (YAAHA) is setting the record straight. Our website provides numerous written materials for use in the classroom – our book documents over 400 years of black history. In addition, our PowerPoint presentations begin to fill the void in this history. Black History Month in February leaves incalculable amounts o ..read more

The question that YAAHA gets repeatedly is, why wasn’t I taught this history in school? Why is so little black history in textbooks? Is it gaslighting? A lack of space in books? Do historical researchers miss information? Or is the history written with a particular ideology of the authors? It very well may be all the above. Your history gives you your identity, and identity is the basis of your beliefs. Images and text are powerful and persuasive, so when our children don’t know their history, they become vulnerable to lies and misinformation. The success stories of leaders and heroes that YA ..read more

Nancy Randolph has been an educator at Victory Christian Academy (VCA) in the heart of the inner city of Orlando, Florida, for more than 15 years. She is a civic leader who helps children become active citizens while standing on their faith in God. Nancy teaches American and World History, Bible, Grammar, Speech, and Drama to her 7th to 12th-grade students. Through Nancy’s research and years of teaching, she has perfected how to encourage students to think critically when studying history by helping them find the truth through personal research. A group discussion follows this research. This ..read more

YAAHA is excited to bring the characters, Harriet and Roxanne, to our audiences, as Talking History with Harriet & Roxanne.™  We have discovered that the versatile comic book format is limitless in its possibilities to tell the stories of blacks’ accomplishments in American history. Harriet & Roxanne is a fun and entertaining way to introduce younger learners to black history and is an excellent choice for reluctant readers. The combination of Harriet and Roxanne’s dialog and other graphic elements with real photos and other materials tells the rich history of blacks in ..read more

Dr. Gary Thompson is a clinical psychologist who abhors the national spotlight. His wife, Dr. Frances Thompson, and he have six bi-racial daughters; his extended family represents many cultures and races. Dr. Thompson is a father first and is concerned about protecting his daughters from the CRT (Critical Race Theory) wars prevalent today. Thompson believes that CRT promotes segregation. How are his daughters supposed to react to the fact that one half of their heritage is systemically broken and needs to be repaired while the other half is good? The tug of war and the push and pull on a bi-r ..read more

YAAHA believes black history should be taught with facts without changing the narrative or definitions and should be presented truthfully, warts and all. The 1619 Project does not tell the correct or entire story of black history. For example, the 1619 Project would have you believe that all whites are the oppressors, and all blacks are the victims. This narrative is destructive to whites and blacks and lacks context and logic. Many of the audacious claims that the 1619 Project makes are only made through the lens of slavery. To present an enriched education, YAAHA is determined to tell the ri ..read more

YAAHA is excited to bring the characters, Harriet and Roxanne, to our audiences, as Talking History with Harriet & Roxanne.™  We have discovered that the versatile comic book format is limitless in its possibilities to tell the stories of blacks’ accomplishments in American history. Harriet & Roxanne is a fun and entertaining way to introduce younger learners to black history and is an excellent choice for reluctant readers. The combination of Harriet and Roxanne’s dialog and other graphic elements with real photos and other materials tells the rich history of blacks in ..read more